Dec 7, 2011

Be a Busy Holiday Bee
College students usually have a 2 month-long mid year holiday. Time to chill out big time, right? Guys, you may have a trip planned or a shopping spree in mind (yes, holiday season is sale season everywhere), but don’t let those leisure days make you a lazybones. Here are several ways to make the most of your semester break.

Take an extended-year program provided by your campus. Extended-year programs are open during semester breaks for students who want to improve their unsatisfactory grades in the previous semester, or those who want to get extra credits. This way, the former don't need to repeat the same subjects during regular semesters, which means they can finish their study on time. If you take extended programs for extra credits, you may even finish college earlier.

Join an internship program provided by a business company. Google for information about which companies provide internship programs. One advantage of joining such a program is the experience it gives you. You can certainly use it in the future. Another advantage is the allowance you'll get after the internship period ends (It may not be that much, but hey, it beats not making any money, right?) When you're ready to apply, don't forget to get a recommendation letter from your college.

Write articles about things you like or know best (or about things that happened recently) and send them to a magazine or to a local or national newspaper if the topic is rather serious.

Hand-make accessories or crafts. Knit stuff or wooden crafts may sell as fast as foodstuff. Sell them at bazaars, or rent a space at a shopping center. You can also give samples to your friends and relatives: advertising by word of mouth can be quite powerful, you know. If you have a Multiply account, you can post pictures of your products and the prices, and before you know you'll be swamped with orders.

Volunteer for a non-profit organization, whether it concerns humanitarian or environmental issues. Non-profit organizations, whether local, national, or international, need a lot of volunteers who are willing to save the earth and the people who live on it. Being a volunteer won't make you any richer materially, but it will make you a much wiser person who cares more about what is happening around you. Improve your skills in certain areas like cooking or a foreign language, by taking a short course. Or go for a subject you've never tried before. Who knows, you might be able to profit from it, one way or another.